The Hipsher brothers, Jim (left) and Jerry (right), co-own Hipsher’s Tool & Die, a local Wabash manufacturing business since 1946. Since they joined the establishment, Jim in 1955 and Jerry in 1960, neither has sought retirement and both attend work daily. Photo by Emma Rausch

By Emma Rausch

Hipsher Tool & Die has served the Wabash County community for 69 years as a family owned and operated manufacturing business. Brothers Jim Hipsher, 83, and Jerry Hipsher, 76, who joined their father’s establishment in the 1950s, also continue to serve by still working at the business. Neither have any intention of retiring any time soon either.

For the brothers, retirement isn’t as appealing as working.

“To some people, the whole retirement (idea) is the greatest thing in the world if you’ve got something to do,” Jerry said. “I have nothing else I really want to do. We have a lake cottage and a little place in Florida, but … just to do that, to be retired full-time, I’m not interested in doing that.

“I’d rather come out here because I enjoy the work I do and the people.”

Wabash senior Brodie Hough made his decision Thursday to play golf at Anderson University next year.

The Ravens are led by first year coach Kent Williams. Williams comes to Anderson with over 40 years of golf experience. Since 2010, he has been a golf instructor at Gray Eagle Golf Course in Fishers. In the 37 years prior, Williams served as Head Golf Pro and greens superintendent at Brockway Golf Course in Lapel.

Sami White (center) signs a letter of intent to play volleyball at Davenport University. She is joined by her parents, Jody White (left) and Johnny White, as well as Davenport Coach Megan Lenhart (back row, from left), Southwood Athletic Director and volleyball coach Tom Finicle, and Southwood principal Tim Drake Photo by Gary Andrews

By Gary Andrews

Southwood senior Sami White signed her letter of intent Friday to continue her volleyball career at Davenport University in Grand Rapids Michigan next year.

White led the Lady Knights to the 2A state championship game this past season and was selected first team all conference the past two seasons along with being selected first team all state and a member of the north all star team this past fall.

Davenport is coached by former Southwood stand out player Megan (Garner) Lenhart. Lenhart graduated from Southwood in 2000 and is 12th all time in career attacks and 12th in career kills

Last week, the Wabash Valley Saw Dust Gang began restoration work on the Wabash County Historical Museum’s outdoor caboose exhibit.

“The museum received the caboose from Bob McCallen, and he asked our group if we would restore it, so we took that project on,” said Marvin Wright, member of the four-county woodworking club. “We didn’t want to work on it when there was snow on the ground, so it’s finally gotten warm enough that we could begin to do it.”

Three members of the Saw Dust Gang were hard at work Wednesday morning, tearing off the train caboose’s old siding. Wright said that the wood underneath the siding doesn’t look great, but it’s solid.

“We’re residing the caboose, first removing the old siding, which is two layers and is really in bad, bad shape,” said Wright. “Then after we get the siding off and the new back on, there’s a gentleman who’s going to replace the roof, so the caboose will be back exteriorly in very good shape once we get done in hopefully another week and a half or so.”

The small team was able to remove both layers of siding from the east side of the caboose Monday, April 14. The same was done to the west side of the caboose, carefully removing and preserving an original logo, which will be used as part of the exhibit.

“The outside layer was screwed in and it took impact drivers to get it loose,” said Wright. “And the underside was nailed on with so many nails it’s unreal, so taking it off is really the biggest part of the project, and the dirtiest.”

Wright and the others working on the project will cut and paint the new siding before bringing it to the location for installation.

“That should make life so much simpler,” said Wright.

Though efforts are focused on the interior right now, the plan is to restore the interior and open it to the public by late fall or early next year.

“People have really enjoyed the caboose, and I think once it gets finished, it will be even more exciting to see,” said Executive Director Mitch Figert.

The project is partially funded by a place-based investment grant through Wabash Marketplace. It’s a matching grant up to $13,700, so the museum is starting a capital campaign to raise the equivalent sum needed to take advantage of all matching funds available. Figert hopes that community members will take advantage of the opportunity to double their impact.

“It’s a great way to get involved, because we can match them dollar for dollar right now to support the caboose project,” said Figert. “It’s really just going to be a community effort to get this done.”

A conceptual design plan for the completed exhibit, which includes a train-stop-style seating area, can be viewed on the western exterior wall of the museum, just opposite the caboose.